The present invention relates generally to handles for valves and angle cocks and more specifically to an improved locking handle for valve and angle cocks employed in air brake systems of railway trains.
Angle cocks or valves are provided throughout the air brake system of railroad trains to interconnect the cars. The open or closed condition of the valve is important to the operation of the air brakes of a train. While the last angle cock on the last car must be closed, all other angle cocks throughout the train must remain open for effective operation of the air brakes. Presently, cars using the regime of the American Association of Railroads ("AAR"), use a two-piece angle cock handle wherein one piece is mounted to the shaft of the actuator of the valve and a second piece pivots relative thereto to lock and unlock the handle and the position of the valve. Stops provided on the cover of the valve engaged with the handle to limit the degree of opening and closing of the handle and valve as well as to lock the valve in a specific condition. A spring or gravity returns the handle to its lowered position. Typical examples are illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 to be discussed in detail below.
The present invention is a handle to be mounted to a stem of a valve and includes a) a socket to be fixed to the stem of the valve element, b) a handle including a clevis having a pair of legs and a base joining the legs and pivotally connected to the socket at a lug of the socket and c) a generally C-shaped spring. The spring extends from a first end engaging the base over a top surface of the base of the clevis and the lug surface to a second end engaging a bottom portion of the lug surface. The spring engages the lug surface and the top surface of the base over a substantial portion of the spring when the handle is in the lowered locked position. The handle includes side walls extending from the base of the clevis and forming a recess with the base. The first end of the spring extends through the recess. The first end includes a lip extending down along a back surface of the base. The spring is flat laterally and deformed longitudinally to conform to the lug surface and the top surface of the base over a substantial portion of the spring.
A method of installing the spring on the valve handle includes hooking a lip at the first end of the C-shaped spring over the back surface of the base of the clevis; pivoting the second end of the spring down onto the lug surface; and snapping the second end on the bottom portion of the lug surface. The second end is snapped on the bottom portion by applying pressure to a center portion of the spring.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.